Lost and Found
by Nileyoneshots
Summary: When she finally does step out, she looks really self conscious. She's always been the kind of girl that has to have a boyfriend all the time and it's obvious what not having one for a year has done to her. I'm so glad I found her.


**Lost and Found**

_It's ironic that I lost her and found her again on the same date, but I'm not letting her go this time.

* * *

_

"Hey bro, how's the backseat treating you?"

I glare at Joe, who's sitting in the front seat with the heating vent on the dashboard pointed right at him. I'm, of course, sitting in the cold backseat, soaking wet. The rain pounding on the windshield should be enough of an answer for him as Kevin drives down a road in the middle of nowhere. "I hate you, Joe."

Joe laughs, obviously not phased. "You didn't have to come, you know. It's not my fault it started raining."

I sigh in annoyance as I glance out the window. One of Dani's friends had told Kevin about this restaurant out in the middle of nowhere that was supposedly really good, so we drove out there and guess what? Yeah, it sucked. Not only that, but when we got there, the parking lot was packed so we had to park on the street. God. Kevin and his stupid ideas. Him and his wife got married three years ago today, shouldn't they be _celebrating_ or something? Instead, she told Kevin he should go have some 'boy time'. What was this, anyway? A damn play date? "I wish I hadn't come. That place was awful and I'm soaking wet and it's cold back here. I'm 20, for God's sake, I don't want to sit in the back."

"You can come sit on my lap if you want."

"Go die, Joe."

"Hey, Kev, you know what would make Nick feel better?"

"Joe-"

"The 7 things I hate about you!" He bursts into song and I immediately begin kicking the back of his seat.

"Nick!"

"You're vain, your game, you're insecure," He continues at the top of his lungs, and I punch the back of the head rest.

We both stop at Kevin swerves the car over to the side of the road, stopping. "Nicholas, come sit on this side. Joseph, if you start singing again, I swear to God, I'll kick you out of this car and you can walk home."

I move over and sit behind the driver's seat, putting my seatbelt on. Joe stays quiet as Kevin pulls onto the main road, and the car is filled with cold, wet, silent, awkward air. Rain hits the road and the hood of the car as Kevin drives, the windshield wipers moving quickly over the smooth glass.

"Nick-"

"Joesph, shut your mouth."

"Kevin-"

"Joesph!"

"STOP THE CAR!"

"What?" Kevn asks as he slams on the brakes.

Joe quickly rolls his window down. "MILEY!"

_Miley_? I look out the back window and see a girl in a black sweatshirt, sweatpants, and boots. She looks up at the sound of her name being called, and even though we're far away from her I notice the terrified expression on her face. She turns and begins running in the opposite direction, although she'll probably slip on the wet grass. "Kevin! What are you doing? Turn the car around!"

The tires squeal as Kevin makes a sharp u-turn, and Miley glances over her shoulder before picking up her speed. I lower the window. "Miley!"

She stops at the sound of my voice, turning to look at the car. Kevin slams on the brakes. "Nick?"

"Get in the car!"

She hesitates before walking around and climbing into the backseat. She still trusts me.

"Nick, there's a blanket in the trunk, go get it," He tells me as he bends over to pull the lever that pops the trunk.

"Thanks for telling me when I was sitting back here, cold and wet." I mutter as I climb out of the backseat, Miley's giggle filling the car behind me. I smile at the simple sound as I walk around to the back of the car, lifting the trunk and pulling the blanket sitting inside out. I quickly close the trunk and get back in the car, trying to keep the material dry. I close the car door behind me, and Miley's already buckled her seatbelt.

"Come here."

She looks confused until I reach over and unbuckle her seatbelt, pulling her onto my lap. Kevin glances at me in the rearview mirror before starting the car again. I drape the blanket over us, wrapping my arms around her.

"Are you okay, Mi? What are you doing out here?"

"I... I was lonely so I went for a drive and I got lost so I got frustrated and I parked somewhere and started walking around."

"What's wrong with you? You could've gotten hit by a car or gotten even more lost! Why didn't you call someone?"

"I left my phone at home."

"You're really stupid."

She smiles cheekily. "Sorry." She pauses, glancing out the window. "Y'know, it's weird that you found me."

"Well, you're really lucky. If we didn't find you God knows what would've happened to you."

"I'm sorry. I was just really upset. Liam broke up with me last December too. It just seems like people like to break my heart in December."

"Mi," I whisper as I run a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry." I bury my head into her hair, pulling her into me. I barely hear her sob as her head buries into my shoulder. "It's okay, Mi. I'm here now."

"I miss you." She cries into my shoulder, and I run a hand through her drenched hair comfortingly.

We sit in silence for ten minutes. Her tears stop and I give her the box of tissues sitting on the leather seat next to me halfway through the drive home. By the time we actually reach the house, she's wiped off the light traces of make-up she was wearing and her eyes are bloodshot but her face is tear free. I unbuckle my seatbelt as Kevin parks and I pick her up gently, leaving the blanket in the backseat. I close the door behind me as I get out and I follow Kevin and Joe inside.

"Oh, boys, it started raining and and I got so worr—Miley?"

I put her down carefully and she smiles at my mom. "Hi, Denise."

"You kids are soaking wet," She says, as if she just realizing it. "Nick, why don't you take Miley to go see if Dani has any clothes to loan her? She's waiting upstairs in the guest room."

"Alright." I take Miley's hand gently, afraid that she'll start crying again, and lead her up the stairs. "Are you okay, Mi?"

She smiles at me. "Yeah, I'm more than okay. I almost forgot how much this house feels like home."

I smile at her before knocking on the guest room door.

"Come on in."

I open the door and watch as Dani puts the book she's holding down. "Oh, hey, uh, hi Miley. Do you, you need to borrow some clothes?"

She almost immediately reads her mind. I know Dani never really liked Miley but she's a really kind girl so of course that's her automatic response. "If you have some you could lend me that would be great."

Dani smiles as she stands up and she walks over to the dresser. Her and Kevin are visiting for Christmas this time but she always keep a ton of clothes here because they visit all the time. "Come here." Miley takes a few awkward steps toward Dani and she holds a pair of jeans up to Miley. "Do you think these'll fit?"

"Yeah."

Dani hands them to her and digs through her drawer to find a tank top and a vest of some sort to hand her. "Those should be good." She smiles sweetly at her.

Miley whispers a quiet 'thank you' and turns around, walking back to my bedroom with me. I open the door, holding it open for her and closing it behind us.

"You okay, Mi?"

"She doesn't like me."

"What?"

"I know that she doesn't like me, Nick."

"What are you talking about? She was so nice to you."

"I'm not stupid." She sighs, running a hand through her soaking wet hair. "Can I borrow something more comfortable?"

"Sure." I walk over to my dresser and open the drawer. "Are you... do you wanna sleep over?"

"Uhm... can I?"

"Sure."

"Okay."

I try to decide on what to give her before getting a pair of my boxers out and a white v-neck. I hand them to her and smile. "You can change in the bathroom if you want. I'll throw the wet clothes in the dryer."

"Okay," She whispers before turning around and heading into the bathroom. I get a pair of sweatpants out and a t-shirt and change, holding my wet clothes as I wait for her to come out.

When she finally does step out, she looks really self concious. I can see her legs, and she knows that I can. She's always been the kind of girl that has to have a boyfriend all the time and it's obvious what not having one for a year has done to her. She hands me her wet jeans and her sweatshirt. "I, uh, what, what do I do with my wet bra?"

I blush as she looks at the floor. I know she feels uncomfortable and I feel bad. "Do you want me to throw it in?"

She hesitates, licking her her lips before heading into the bathroom to get it. She's out in a minute, and I try to keep my hand from shaking as I take it from her. The last time I touched her bra we were 16 and, well, I definitely wasn't nervous about it.

"I'll be right back." I tell her, slipping out the door. I head downstairs, and my mom stops me as I'm walking towards the laundry room.

"Is that your wet clothes? I'll take them. Kevin and Joe already came down to give me theirs. At least you tried to do them yourself." She shakes her head and takes the pile of clothes, heading for the washing machine. I chuckle to myself as I head back up the stairs. I walk into my room quietly, closing the door behind me (I'm 20, if I wanna be alone in my room with a girl with the door closed I will) and smile as I see her laying on her side on my bed, under the blankets as she snuggles in my pillow. I lay down next to her, brushing her hair out of her face carefully.

"Hey."

Her eyes flutter open. "Hey."

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were saying before how this house feels like home to you and then all the sudden you're quiet."

"I... I don't have a place here any more. I used to be Dani."

"You married my brother?" I tease, trying to lighten the air, but she isn't phased.

"Your mom used to love me. Joe used to joke around with me and hug me and Kevin used to protect me and I'd be able to walk in whenever I wanted and hang out with you guys like I lived here. But that's kinda Dani's thing now, I guess."

"I miss you." I admit.

"What?"

"I miss not knowing when you'll show up but at the same time knowing that you're just moments away if I miss you or I need someone to talk to. I miss falling in love with you every time you'd glance at me and catch my eye and wink at me when my brother was talking to you about something you didn't care about. I miss having you in my life so much, Mi."

"So, let's go." She stands up, heading for the door.

"Where?" I get up and follow her down the hall, and she pounds on Joe's door. He opens it and she tackles him, throwing her body onto his.

"Hey big bro."

He smiles as he hugs her back. "Hey, Miles. Uhh, what's going on, little sis?"

She grins as she gets down. "I miss my big brother."

"I'm right here."

"Let me in."

"No."

"Why?"

"I have porn."

"Joe!"

"Alright, fine." He steps to the side and she walks inside, and I follow her and Joe in. "Soo little sister how's your relationship with the weird Jonas going?"

"Joe, I already told you you could be my big brother."

"Not you. The curly one."

"Oh, him. I don't know. He's kinda ugly."

"You think he's hot."

She shrugs, indicating that she definitely agrees with him (I'm very fluent in Miley-ese). "He's okay."

"I see the lust in your eyes." Joe teases her.

"Noo."

"Maybe it's just the fact that you're wearing his boxers and v-neck."

"Maybe."

"You two kids get out of here and go have fun," He jokes. "I'll go back to my porn."

"Ew, Joe. Nicky, give me a piggy back ride. Let's go see Kevin."

I laugh as she throws herself onto my back and I wrap my arms around her legs. "Bye Joe."

I can hear the smile in his voice as I turn away. "Bye, bro."

"Can we go back to your room?" She murmurs into my ear.

"Uh, sure." I open the door, and I close it behind us before putting her down on the bed gently.

She narrows her eyes at me. "You... you keep checking me out."

I blush. "Sorry."

"Sorry? You're not denying it? Get your ass over here." I walk over, filled with uncertainty. She grabs me and pulls me down onto the bed. "You can't just check me out."

I smile at her as she pins me against the mattress. I'm surprised at how well I still know her, after all these years. "Sorry. "

"You better be. You're such a sicko."

"It's not my fault."

"Then who's is it?"

"Yours. You shouldn't be so checking-out-worthy."

"You mean hot?"

"Yeah."

"You're hot too."

"Of course I'm hot. I'm a big strong man."

She bursts out laughing, and her body collapses on top of mine. "You're not a man."

"I'm 20 years old! When do I 'become a man'?"

"When you stop checking your ex-girlfriends out."

"Well you're clearly not a woman if you're stupid enough to wander out into the middle of nowhere."

Her laughter stops and she looks at me, resting her chin on my chest. "Sometimes I miss you so much I don't know what to do with myself. That's why I did that. I couldn't stop thinking about you and it was making me mad."

"Uh, how about get up and walk yourself over here?"

She smiles. "It would've been awkward."

"Says the girl crushing me right now."

She giggles, and I find it almost funny how she doesn't bother to move. She must speak Nick-ese pretty well too. "You like it, don't lie. You love this."

"Mmh, I love having your body on mine."

"I knew it."

"Hey, didn't you take your bra off?"

"Hey!" She cries, sitting up (now she's sitting on my lower stomach—she's not fat, but she's not exactly light). "Get your mind out of the gutter."

I smile as I pull her down to me. "Relax. Aren't we having a sleepover tonight?"

"Yeah, a sleepover, not a sex-over."

I laugh. "I'm talking about your bra, not having sex with you. You're such a drama queen."

She lays back down on me, her eyes locked on mine. "Okay. We can try."

"Try...?"

"Try again."

"Try what again, Mi?"

"Doing us again."

"I, uh..."

She brings my chin up to her, and in one smooth motion, she connects our lips. I pull her body into mine as our lips move together. I haven't felt this in a long time and I've definitely missed it. She pulls away, resting her head on my chest.

"You're beautiful." I manage to murmur into her ear gently, and she grins at me.

"Thank you, sexy."

I want to tell her how that kiss reminded me of everything. Of how much I love her, of how much she means to me, of how I want to hold her in my arms and never let go. But I won't, because it'll take time to adjust to 'us' again. I know we can make it work this time.

* * *

I love these two. Tell me what was going on in your mind while you were reading.


End file.
